US allows firms to fly drones for filming

Fri, Sep 26, 2014, 07:39 AM

Washington, Sep 26 : The US government Thursday said it has granted regulatory exemptions to six aerial photo and video production companies, opening the door for the film and television industry to use drones for filming.

The US government also determined that the drones, also called the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), to be used in the proposed operations do not need a certificate of airworthiness issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), saying a study found that they do not pose a threat to national airspace users or national security, Xinhua reported.

"Today's announcement is a significant milestone in broadening commercial UAS use while ensuring we maintain our world-class safety record in all forms of flight," US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement.

"These companies are blazing a trail that others are already following, offering the promise of new advances in agriculture and utility safety and maintenance."